Bank cards issued outside Russia are not accepted in Russia. As soon as you enter the country, the everyday convenience you normally enjoy becomes inaccessible: you cannot simply purchase a cup of coffee, request a cab, or buy a museum ticket. You are forced to find a currency exchange office, keep cash on hand, and cut back on impulse purchases.



The answer to this problem is PayInRussia. https://payinrussia.com/ The platform enables visitors from other countries to make payments for products and services in Russia using their smartphones. You do not have to carry cash or need to go to a bank.



Which purchases and services can you pay for?





cab rides and courier deliveries;


hotels and airline tickets;


cafés and restaurants;


retail outlets and shopping centers;


admission to museums and various events;


orders from Russian online stores and marketplaces.





How does it work?



Sign up before your journey while you are in your country of residence. To do this:





use your phone to scan your passport;


capture a selfie;


go through a fast identity verification procedure. Your document data is recognized automatically, and SMS verification through a Russian phone number is not required.





Add funds to your balance using a bank card issued outside Russia or a payment service available in a supported country prior to your arrival in Russia.



Make payments for your purchases:





Offline: scan the QR code at the checkout. A connection to the internet via Wi-Fi or a mobile network must be available.


Online: make purchases from online shops and make hotel reservations and buy tickets right in the application.





Why is it convenient?



PayInRussia has been designed with overseas visitors in mind:





you are not required to be a resident of the Russian Federation;


you do not have to set up an account with a Russian bank;


you can avoid visiting bank offices or currency exchange bureaus;


you can sign up and fund your balance in advance of your journey;


you can easily pay for purchases using your smartphone;


the service is suitable for both brief and long-term journeys.





How can you start using the service? It only takes three straightforward steps:





Install the application on your mobile phone.


Fund your account using a bank card issued abroad.


Use the service to pay for purchases while in Russia: launch the application, select the QR code symbol, and use your camera to scan the code at the payment terminal. The money will be debited from your account right away.